Shoe-fastener.



A. W. RIGKS.

SHOE FASTENBR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19,`

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABSALON W. RICKS, OF REXBURG, IDAHO.

SHOE-FASTENER.

To all whom t may concern l Be it known that I, AsALoN IV. Ricks, citizen of the United States, residing at Rexburg, in the county of Fremont and State Iof Idaho, have invented certain new and use tul Improvements in Shoe-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

l This invention relates to shoe fasteners, and has for its object to provide a simple and durable fastening device which may be quickly and easily operated for confining the opposite edge portions of a shoe upper and which may be easily and readily operated for releasing the said portions of the upper. i

vWith this object in view the fastener 1ncludes flexible strips, preferably of metal, which are secured to the edge portions of the opposite sides of the shoe upper. Hooks of peculiar configuration are slidably mounted upon these strips and the lace is threaded through the said hooks. Detachable sections are carried at the lower end portions of the strips upon which the said hooks may be passed when it is desired to remove them from the strips, and the strips are provided at their upper ends with securing devices adapted to hold the uppermost hooks when the opposite side portions of the shoe ripper are confined.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following d escription and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shoe fastener applied; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of parts of the same with portions in section; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same cut on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a perspective view of a hook used upon the fastener.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

The shoe fastener includes strips 1, preferably of metal and which are flexible, having lugs 2 by means of which they may be secured by rivets or other devices to the opposite side portions of the upper of a shoe. Thesestrips 1 are of uniform transverse dimensions throughout the major portions of their lengths, but at their lower ends the said strips are reduced in transverse dimensions forming extensions 3. Each extension 3 is provided at its inner edge with a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 5, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 647,710.

relatively long recess L1 terminating at its lower end in a shoulder 5, and each recess 1l is provided in its bottom with a relatively short recess G. The recesses G are located at the upper ends of the extensions 3. -Hollow sections 7 are arranged to slide over the extensions 3 of the strips 1 and when the said sections 7 are in position upon the extensions Il, the outer surfaces of the sections 7 are in longitudinal alinement with the outer surfaces of the strips 1.

A lever 8 is fulcrumed in each section 7 and is pivotally connected at one end with a small block 9 which is adapted at times to move along the bottom of the recess 4 and at other times may enter the recess G provided in the extension 3. lVhen the block 9 is in the recess (i the section 7 is held with its end in close contact with the end of the body portion of the strip 1 upon which it is located. A spring 10 is interposed between one side of the section 7 and the lever S at a point between the fulcrum point of the said lever and the block 9 and is under tension with a tendency to hold the said block against the bottom of the recess 4. A tappet 11 is pivotally connected with the opposite end of the lever 8 from the end to which the block 9 is connected and the tappet 11 normally projects through an opening 12 provided in the side of the section 7. The said section 7 is also provided in its side and at its opposite end portion from that end at which the opening 12 is located with an opening 13 through which the outer portion of the block 9 may be projected.

A series of hooks 141; is arranged to slide upon each of the strips 1 and also upon the section 7 mounted on said strip. The hooks 14 surround the major portions of the parts 1 and 7 upon which they may be located and are provided with openings 15 through which the lugs 2 may pass as the said hooks 14: are shifted along the strips or sections. Each hook 111 is provided with a pivoted cam 16 and the shoe lace 17 is threaded between the sides of the hooks 14 and the cams 16 carried thereby.

Securing devices are located at the upper ends of the strips 1 and are adapted to engage the uppermost hooks of each series when the hooks are moved to spaced positions upon the strips 1 and the sections 7 so that the said hooks will be held in these positions. These securing devices consist of spring pressed bolts 18 having beveled ends which normally project beyond the edges of the strips 1. Levers 19 are fulcrumed at the upper ends of the strips 1 and carry the bolts 18 and when swung are adapted to move the beveled end portions of the said bolts within the edges of the strips 1 and against the tension of the springs which normally hold the beveled ends of the bolts in projected positions.

The fastener is operated as follows: Presuming that the strips 1 are secured to the side portions of a shoe upper and the sections 7 are in position on the lower ends of the said strips with the hooks 14C threaded upon the said sections in close relation as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing and the lace 17 engaging between the sides of the hooks and the cams 1G. The hooks 14 are then slid up along the sections 7 and the uppermost hooks are engaged over the bolts 18. The intermediate hooks are properly positioned along the strips 1 andv the cams 16 bear against the lace and clamp the same against the sides of the intermediate hooks. Thus the intermediate hooks are held in proper positions along the strips and the opposite side portions of the shoe upper are confined. When it is desired to liberate the opposite side portions of the shoe upper, the levers 19 are swung so that the bolts 18 are carried from under the uppermost hooks, then all of the hooks are slid down along the strips 1 upon the sections 7. Vhen it is desired to remove one of the sections 7 from one of the strips l the tappet 11 is depressed, whereby the lever 8 is swung and the inner end of the block 9 is moved out of the recess 6. The said section 7 may then be slid longitudinally along the extension 3 until the block 9 comes in contact with the shoulder 5, when the longitudinal movement of the section 7 is checked. Then by further depressing the tappet 11 the inner end of the block 9 is lifted over the shoulder 5 and the section 7 may then be completely detached from the strip 1.

The sections 7 are made detachable with relation to the strips in order that the hooks 14 may be slid down upon the said sections and then the said sections may be removed carrying with them the hooks and the lace. Then in lieu of the sections removed another set of sections may be applied to the ends of the strips, the last mentioned set of sections carrying a lace of different color or pattern from that removed. Again it is desirable to provide means for easily and quickly removing the hooks and retaining them in proper position when the shoe is to be repaired and a last has to be inserted in the same.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A shoe fastener comprising strips, detachable sections slidably engaging the lower ends thereof, hooks mounted for sliding movement along the strips and sections, and a lace threaded through the hooks.

2. A shoe fastener comprising strips, detachable sections slidably engaging the lower ends thereof, hooks mounted for sliding movement along the strips and sections, a lace threaded through the hooks, and a lever operated mechanism carried by each section for locking the same upon the strip.

3. A shoe fastener comprising strips having relatively long recesses at their lower ends which are provided in their bottoms with relatively short recesses, sections arranged to slide over the lower ends of the strips, a lever fulcrumed in each section, a

block connected with one end'of the lever and adapted to move along the long recess and enter the short recess, a tappet secured to the other end of the lever and projecting through the side of the section, hooks arranged to slide along the strips and sections, and a lace threaded through the hooks.

In testimony whereof I atiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABSALON "W. RICKS. [L s] Witnesses:

HYRUM Rions, J r., `WILroRD Rions.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. 1). C. 

